hackDAWN
by theoaktree
Summary: Mike is a 12yr old boy who discovers the World and wishes to become someone special, a hero. However, when he meets a mysterious girl who gives him a quest, he soon discovers that being a hero is a lot harder than it looks.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do own the 3-volume set, .hack/legend of the twilight, on which much of this story is based, and I am watching the anime, .hack/SIGN. I don't own the 4 .hack PS2 games (they're almost impossible to buy right now); but, I did play some of the third one. This story is simply my imagination taking a small journey...

* * *

.hack/DAWN

by: theoaktree

* * *

Mike Smit sat in front of his computer, nervously clutching his covetted headset. Ever since he had found out that his friend Freddy Mercer had gotten one and had let him try walking around in the World for a few minutes, he had yearned for one of his own. Since it had been almost the only thing he'd talked about for the month following, his family had had no problem figuring out what to get him for his twelfth birthday. Although it had been the only gift he had received, due to the high cost of both it and the associated software bundle, he was more than satisfied.

A little before seven, he put the headset on and adjusted the fit so that it would be comfortable. He started the game so that he could be properly logged in by seven, when Freddy had said he was getting on. The ALTIMIT screen appeared, he selected 'new user' and entered 'Mike' into the user name. Since it came back that that one was taken, he tried 'Mike123'. 'Mike127' ended up being acceptable, and he entered a password as required.

He then got to select his character type, and, after some consideration, chose 'wavemaster' because it sounded cool. There then followed the gender and wardrobe selections, as well as body markings. _What are those for?_ he wondered. That all done, he was taken to the desktop, where he immediately picked the icon 'World'. _Let's see, _he thought. _Freddy told me to take the Chaos Gate to the Delta Server. Alright..._

He materialized in the root town, Appalachia, which was on the Upsilon Server that serviced the whole of Eastern Canada as well as New England. The first thing he did was to inspect himself to see how he made out. Although he'd experienced being in the World at Freddy's, he was still surprised at how real it felt. Freddy had explained that the headset was able to somehow tap into the brain. Mike had no idea; but, it worked great.

_Now, what to do?_ He clutched his staff tensely as he looked around. "Excuse me," he said to a passerby. "Where's the Chaos Gate?" The young man snickered and pointed behind him. Mike turned around and felt very foolish as he discovered that he'd been put down right in front of it. It took him a few moments to figure out how to work the gate, as people came and went around him. Once he found 'Delta', he was on his way, and Mac Anu, City of Water, soon materialized around him. Suddenly it dawned on him that he would have no idea what Freddy would look like here, and he scanned around a bit hopelessly. _Hm,_ he thought, _now I see what the body markings are for. There are only so many character types; so, the marks help tell people apart. _Spotting a number of people who appeared to be waiting off to one side, he approached them.

"Freddy?"

"Mike! Over here!" A guy further around the square was waving a substantial axe in the air.

Mike waved his staff, the one with the ball that floated mysteriously in its head, and trotted over. "Hey, Freddy!"

"I was going to take you to Bursting Passed Over Aqua Field, cause it's real easy; but, then I remembered you should buy a few healing items first. Let's go to the Item Shop."

Mike could only afford a small number of potions and fortune wires (used to safely spring the traps on some of the treasure chests) to start with; but, Freddy assured him that would be plenty. They then formed a proper party and headed back to the Gate. Freddy selected the keywords and Mac Anu dissolved.

Mike found himself in a large black room with a white glowing floor, and standing in front of him was a girl. She looked to be around six years old, with flowing red hair and a long white robe. He didn't recognize the character class; but, then, what did he know? And where was Freddy?

"Mike127, will you look for my teddy?"

"Your teddy? ... I guess. Where'd you lose it?"

"I didn't lose it, silly! You're supposed to look for it."

"Oh. Is this like a quest?"

"Yes, a quest. Mommy asked me to look for a helper. Will you help, and look for my teddy?"

"Uh... alright, I s'pose."

She skipped forward and gave him a little kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Mike127!"

Suddenly, the room dissolved, to be replaced by a twilit plain dotted with some windmills and other structures. There was a glowing thing that looked like spinning rings off to one side behind Freddy's character.

"Where'd you go?" Freddy asked. "You were supposed to be right with me."

"I don' know. This girl asked me to look for her teddy."

"What girl? Did you get her member address?"

"Don' know. I didn't recognize her, and I never thought of addresses."

"Whatever. Let's go kick some monster butt!" Freddy turned toward the glowing rings and pointed his axe at them. "We can start at that portal."

"Yeah!"

Mike sat on a hill overlooking the dungeon of Lamda Great Solitary Melody Field, thinking about things. He'd just finished eliminating the monsters in the field so they wouldn't bother him, and he hoped fervently that no-one would come here for a while. He needed to think, to process some stuff, and, with Freddy off on a doctor's appointment for much of the afternoon, he felt free to indulge in some introspection.

He'd been playing now for some three months, and he and Freddy had achieved a pretty strong level, able to take on all but the toughest dungeons. He'd collected all the rare items he could find information about, and even a few that had only been mentioned in rumours on the message boards.

Now he sat on this hill, a bit jaded, and in danger of becoming totally bored of it all

Why had he wanted to play here in the first place? Oh, and what about that girl's teddy? He had been watching for it, even checking down empty corridors, taking time that Freddy would rather have used elsewhere, but with no luck. He hoped guiltily that the girl wouldn't come asking only to end up disappointed in him.

Hm. He'd wanted to play because, deep down, he believed he could be someone special, a hero or something; but, he was finding that he was just another player among millions. Bleagh! Lying back in the grass, he looked up at the virtual sky. It was a weird lilac colour, although this wasn't really that unusual in a world that sported occasional trees with blue leaves, or the odd lake of gold water. Some of the programmers had strange senses of humour. Mike could still remember his shock the first time he found the air in one water-element dungeon populated by little green fish that moved around as if they were swimming in water; but, that was all getting pretty old hat.

"Hey, how come there's no field monsters?"

Mike looked up to see a party of three standing in front of him.

"Oh," he responded, "I got rid of them so they wouldn't bug me."

"Crap. Uh... I suppose you cleaned out the dungeon too?"

"Nah."

"No?"

"Nope. It's still good."

"Well, let's get going then!" The party headed to the entrance cave and disappeared inside.

Mike lay back down. That had been simple; but, his dilemma was not so easily disposed of. How was he supposed to do something that was really meaningful here? It's not like he could rescue fair maidens (if he'd wanted to... eww! Girls!). And he'd run into plenty of them who could whip his gaming butt. Gah!

"Why are you not doing something?"

That voice! Mike sat bolt upright, and nearly banged heads with the girl whose teddy he'd been looking for all this time. "Uh, hi... Sorry I couldn't find your teddy..." She was holding a toy bear in her left hand.

"Close your mouth, silly. I never asked you to find it."

"What?" Mike scrambled backwards to restore his personal space. "But you said..."

"I told you to look for it. And you did."

"Oh... Okay."

"Now, why aren't you doing something?"

"Er, I guess I'm bored."

"Bored?" She hesitated. "'Bore, transitive verb, from the Anglo-Saxon 'borian'; to pierce or perforate to make a round hole in.' No, you don't seem to have a hole in you. 'To weary by tedious repetition. To tire by dullness.' Oh, you find the World wearisome and dull?"

"Wha...! Who are you?"

"My name is Zephyr. I am a non-player character made by the creator."

"You work for CC Corp?" This was the company responsible for maintaining the World.

"No, CC Corp is not the creator. Aura is. She is my mother."

"Alright." _Weird._

"Why are you bored?"

"Well, like, I'm just doing all the same old stuff all the time."

"You are wearied by the tedious repetition, then?"

"Uh, yeah, sort of."

"What do you wish to do?"

"I don' know. Something special, like heroes do."

"I have met players that others call heroes. 'Hero, noun; a person of distinguished bravery; a person reverenced and idealized; the principal figure in a work of fiction.' Is that the sort of player you wish to be, Mike127?"

"Well, I'd sure like to do brave stuff." Mike thought he liked the sound of 'reverenced and idealized', but suspected that that was dumb.

"You have proved yourself faithful by looking for my teddy; so, go to Sigma Lonely Primitive Sea of Sand Field and find the virus that is lying dormant somewhere in there. The Cobalt Knights have not been able to detect it yet."

That sounded interesting. "Can I take Freddy in my party?"

"Freddy?"

"Huh? Oh, right, user name. MercedesX"

"Yes, take him if you wish." She dissolved and was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do own the 3-volume set, .hack/legend of the twilight, on which much of this story is based, and I am watching the anime, .hack/SIGN. I don't own the 4 .hack PS2 games (they're almost impossible to buy right now); but, I did rent and play some of the third one. This story is simply my imagination taking a small journey...

* * *

.hack/DAWN

by: theoaktree

* * *

Mike, as he waited for Freddy to get home, spent the afternoon cleaning easier dungeons so that he could raise enough money to stock up on healing and status-changing items for the upcoming virus showdown. He also picked up a wide range of elemental-attack items, since he had no idea what sort of weaknesses (if any) his enemy might have.

About five o'clock, Freddy answered his e-mail.

"From: MercedesX

Subject: re: New Quest

Hey Mike. That sounds like a cool quest! I can be clear right after supper. I'll PM Personal Message you as soon as I log on.

Freddy the X-man ;-)"

Mike got on-line as soon as he was done eating, headed immediately to Sigma server, and took a good look around Fort Ouoph, the root town, since he'd never taken the time to really poke around there. He'd found the fields here to be moderately hard; so, he figured that, with the levels that he and Freddy had achieved, this quest should be a fair challenge. Out of curiosity, he headed to the Chaos Gate to check on the fields available and found a couple that he thought he and Freddy could check out later. Lonely Primitive Sea of Sand Field that Zephyr had mentioned was not on the list; so, they'd have to enter the name themselves. Mike got to know the layout of the town pretty well by the time Freddy logged in.

"From: MercedesX

Subject: no subject

Sorry Mike. I had to help with dishes. Be right over.

F X"

Once they'd beamed into the field, they took a look around.

"Did Zephyr say where this virus was exactly," asked Freddy.

"Nope. Guess we're on our own. Let's clear the open field and see if it's out here."

"Alright."

After about fifteen minutes, they were satisfied that there was nothing unusual in the open field and headed to the dungeon entrance.

"Okay," remarked Mike as soon as they got close. "That's definitely weird." The facade of the dungeon was that of a slate-blue, wood-frame house from the mid-1900's, complete with covered front porch, unlike the typical cave mouth. "But I doubt the virus did that. Looks like something a dumb programmer would do."

"Heh, yeah. Think we should ring the doorbell?" Freddy pushed the button without waiting for an answer. The floor beneath them abruptly yawned open and dropped them into the blackness below.

"I guess they were expecting people to be neighbourly," said Mike, once he'd shaken off the surprise and gotten to his feet.

"Yeah." Freddy scanned the area as his eyes adjusted to the torchlight. "This looks pretty normal. Let's go."

"Do think I should send out a fairy to map the level?"

"Naw. We're gonna check everywhere anyway, right?"

"Yeah, I s'pose."

They found nothing out of the ordinary in the first level; but, they located the item-master treasure chest on the second one.

"What do you think? Should we open it now?" asked Mike.

"Why don't we save it till the end, since we gotta do it all anyway."

"Sure. Let's go."

Half an hour later, they returned to the item master.

"Well," said Freddy, " we've found nothing like a virus here. It's your quest; you open the chest."

"Okay," said Mike. He stepped forward and tapped the chest with his staff. The room went black and Mike's controller went dead. _Crap! _he thought. _I lost my connection. _Figuring all his experience and items gained in the field had been flushed, Mike started to try and get back onto the World; but, nothing happened. Just as he was reaching down to reset his computer to start over, his controller jumped and there was a flicker in his headset.

"Mike127. Wait." It was Zephyr's voice.

"What's going on, Zephyr!"

No response. Mike sat back and tried to figure out what might be happening. Suddenly, he found himself back in the black room with the white floor, and Zephyr was floating in front of him.

"Thank you for your assistance, Mike127. You triggered the virus, and the Cobalt Knights are isolating it right now."

"What happened to me there?"

"Aura had to pull you out before the virus corrupted your data."

"Whoa! Uh... what about Freddy... um, MercedesX?"

"He's currently back at the root town of the Sigma server."

"Why'd you bring me here?"

"Aura has told me to ask you to help her."

"I just did help, didn't I?"

"Yes; but, she wishes to equip you to hunt viruses and other threats to her. She wishes for you to be her hero."

Mike, startled, was speechless.

"Did you not wish it, Mike127?"

"Uh... Why can't the Cobalt Knights do it? They're grownups, and I'm just a kid."

"A kid... A child, an immature human. That is of no consequence; she will provide you with what you'll need. As for the Cobalt Knights, effective though they are, they are servants of CC Corp. Will you be Aura's servant?"

_Man, what am I getting into here? But, geez, I want to be a hero. I want..._ "I want to do it."

"Receive her gift."

Mike noticed a glow of light and realized that it was coming from him. When it died down, he saw that he was dressed differently. "Cool. What's this?"

"Aura has created a new class, that of Archer. You are the first, though you retain all the experience that you accumulated as a Wavemaster. You will be able to keep your distance from the viruses in the future and avoid the harm that endangered you today."

"So my weapon is a bow and arrows?"

"Yes; but, for virus-hunting, you will be given special arrows that will contain cookies, computer code that will be implanted in whatever the arrow hits, allowing Aura direct access to it. Do not use these arrows on regular monsters. That will simply waste them as they will do nothing to the monster."

"No problem. When do I get these 'cookie arrows'?"

"When you start your next quest. Now go. MercedesX is looking for you."

Mike materialized in the root town, directly behind Freddy, who spun around to see what was going on.

"Where'd you go, Mike? You've been gone for half an hour... Hey, cool new outfit! Where'd you get it? You look like Green Arrow!" (© DC Comics)

"I was with Zephyr again. She saved me from the virus and gave me this, a whole new class."

"No way! What about your stats?"

"She saved them for me too."

"Lucky stiff! But why an archer?"

"So I can keep away from the viruses and stuff when she sends me on more hunting quests. And she's gonna give me special arrows for the viruses."

"Oh yeah? You think she'll let me come along with you?"

"I don't see why not. She let you come with me on this one. Hey! How'd you get away from the virus?"

"Well, when you touched the treasure chest, first you vanished, then the whole room started to go all weird, changing shape and all. I made it back to the door and got up to the first level just as the Cobalt Knight squad showed up. I told them where the virus was, and they ordered me out of the whole field, which was no problem for me. I waited for you here."

"Think we should log off? I still got homework."

"Me too. See you at school, okay?"

"Sure."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do own the 3-volume set, .hack/legend of the twilight, on which much of this story is based, and I am watching the anime, .hack/SIGN. I don't own the 4 .hack PS2 games (they're almost impossible to buy right now); but, I did rent and play some of the third one. This story is simply my imagination taking a small journey...

* * *

.hack/DAWN

by: theoaktree

* * *

The next day, when Mike logged on, there were half a dozen different threads on the message board discussing the new character class. He found it funny when he read the one about why CC Corp might have created it. He had more mail from Zephyr with another quest. _Already?_ he thought. _What's going on?_ The message explained that he would get the cookie arrows from the first monster he defeated at the target field. He wondered how he'd be able to tell them apart from his regular arrows.

Once he was in, he PM'd Freddy, explaining where he was going, and headed over to the Gate to get to the right server. He found the field he'd been assigned was a regular one; so, he selected it and proceeded to the first spinning display to start battling and get his special arrows. Five minutes later, he finally defeated the monsters, having discovered that aiming an arrow in battle conditions was really hard, and he'd had to use several Hanged Man cards that paralyzed the monsters to keep them still while he got experience. The cookie arrows proved to be sufficiently different to present no big problem in battle. They were gold-coloured, heavier and shorter than the regular ones.

"Hey Mike!" Freddy came running down a nearby hill. "Finally found you!"

"This bow and arrows is a lot harder to use than the other stuff. I gotta aim."

"Heh. I guess you'll get the hang of it, though."

"Yeah. Let's go find the virus."

They finished clearing out the open field, and, during the last battle, Mike's finger slipped on his controller, causing him to discover that he could lock onto his target. As they were emptying the treasure chests that had appeared after the battle, he said, "I just figured out how to lock on with this thing." He held up the bow.

"Cool. I guess that'll make it a lot easier from now on." Freddy looked around. "Time for the dungeon."

"Yeah. I wonder what the virus'll look like this time."

"It was the treasure chest the last time."

They cautiously entered. "No way!" exclaimed Mike. "Where'd everything go?" The walls, floors and ceilings were all a uniform, featureless grey. There was only one level, devoid of monsters, treasure chests or anything, even grunty food.

"This is creeping me out, Mike. This is all wrong."

"No kidding. What am I supposed to do now?" He idly aimed his bow around. "Hey, I got a lock on something!"

"Then shoot! It's gotta be the virus!"

Mike quickly notched a cookie arrow and let it loose. It shot up and then disappeared. They waited uncertainly.

"Leave! Now!" It was a girl's voice.

"Zephyr?" called Mike.

"Forget that!" shouted Freddy. "Run!"

Mike immediately saw what the problem was as he turned to flee; the walls were closing in on them. Once outside, they watched in shock as the dungeon entrance collapsed in on itself and disappeared.

"Holy crap!" exclaimed Freddy. "That was way too close!" He sat down, and Mike joined him. "You mean the dungeon was the virus?"

"I don' know," responded Mike uncertainly. "Maybe the virus had taken it over or something."

"I have seen them do that."

The boys spun around at the unexpected voice, which had come from a tall female warrior of long-arms class, and she was holding a Spear of Voltan. She was accompanied by several knights and another woman, a wavemaster, holding a book.

"Magi," said the warrior to the woman with the book, "is the virus still present?"

Magi studied a floating data screen briefly. "No, Kamui. No sign of it now."

Kamui returned her hard, steely gaze to the boys, her eyes resting on Freddy. "You were at that other virus incident. How did you come to be here as well?"

Freddy swallowed. "Um... Mike here... you see... he got this quest, uh, to hunt viruses..." Kamui's eyebrows shot up at that, and he stopped completely.

"Where did you get such a quest?" she asked Mike.

"Excuse me, sir," interrupted Magi. "For a class that has just been released, Mike127 there is on a remarkably high level."

Kamui stepped over and examined the screen briefly before turning back to Mike. "Are you a hacker to get yourself to such a level?"

"No, ma'am. You see, Aura..."

"Aura's involved! Knights! Take these two into custody. I must question them further. Magi, order a repair team here immediately for reconstruction, and seal off the field from further access until it's finished."

"Right away, sir!"

"Man, is this ever lame!" Mike kicked his feet while he sat, waiting for he-didn't-know-what, dreading the unknown. They had been taken to a small office in Carmina Gadelica on the Lambda server and told to wait.

"No kidding," responded Freddy. "At least they didn't put us in jail or anything."

"Yeah. I didn't know being a hero could be so crazy."

"'Hero', huh?" Kamui entered the room and sat down behind the desk that was off to one side. "Didn't you know that heroes are supposed to deal with difficulties?"

Mike fiddled with his bow. "Yeah; but, I guess I didn't know how much."

"Are we in trouble?" asked Freddy.

"Oh, not at all," responded Kamui dismissively. Magi came in and sat down at the left end of the desk, resting her book on it. "I just need to ask some questions, to see where you two fit into what's going on right now. Have either of you read the 'It looks like war' thread on the message board?" The two boys shook their heads. "Hm, you should. It seems that some one, or a group, is systematically attacking the World, and," she glanced at Freddy, "I've found you at the two latest incidents."

"Actually," said Freddy, pointing at Mike, "he was at the first one too."

"But," continued Mike, "Aura pulled me out after I touched the item-master's chest to save me from the virus."

"So, you just happened to find that virus?"

"No," said Mike. "I'd asked Zephyr for a quest and she sent me there to find it, 'cause the Cobalt Knights didn't know it was there yet."

"No, we didn't. It seems you activated it. Any idea why she accepted to give you these 'quests'?"

"Zephyr said Aura wanted me to be her hero and her servant, and to hunt the viruses and stuff."

"Why do you think she would choose you and bypass the Cobalt Knights, who are experienced debuggers?"

"Cause I looked for her teddy bear."

Kamui stared at him blankly for a moment, then turned and looked at Magi, who shrugged and shook her head. Finally, she said, "What on earth does that have to do with anything!"

"Um, when I first logged on about three months ago as a newbie, Zephyr talked to me and asked me to look for it. When I saw her the next time, I told her I wanted to be like a hero, and she sent me on the quest. After I got attacked by the virus, she saved me, uh, Aura did. She said that me looking for the teddy meant I was a trustworthy servant. When I asked why the Cobalt Knights couldn't do the quest, she, Zephyr, said they were servants of CC Corp and Aura wanted a servant of her own."

Kamui winced at the remark about CC Corp, but pressed on. "Just you? What about your companion here?"

"Freddy? I asked him along because he's my friend. Zephyr said it was okay."

"Ah. How old are you two, outside the World?"

"Twelve," said Mike. Freddy nodded.

"Kids then."

"Yeah, but Zephyr said that was irrelevant."

"Irrelevant, eh? Do you know anything about hacking or debugging?"

"No." Mike shook his head.

"Then how does Aura expect you to deal with the viruses?"

"I'm supposed to shoot special arrows at them. That's what I did today and the dungeon shrank and disappeared."

"'Special arrows'? How are they special?"

"She, uh, Zephyr told me they have cookies in them."

Magi looked up at that. "What do you think Aura's up to, sir?"

Kamui sat back. "I've got my suspicions." Turning to Mike, she said, "Would you contact me when Zephyr gives you your next quest? I'd like to join your party, along with Magi here, if that's alright."

Mike shrugged. "Sure."

"Excellent; thank you. You two may go."

Once the boys had left, Magi looked at Kamui, eyebrows raised.

"In answer to your question, Magi, I think Aura's finally learning to defend herself." She leaned back again thoughtfully.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do own the 3-volume set, .hack/legend of the twilight, on which much of this story is based, and I am watching the anime, .hack/SIGN. I don't own the 4 .hack PS2 games (they're almost impossible to buy right now); but, I did rent and play some of the third one. This story is simply my imagination taking a small journey...

* * *

.hack/DAWN

by: theoaktree

* * *

From: Mike127

Subject: the message board

Hey Freddy, I just finished supper and I'm going to read that thread that the lady told us about. I'll PM Personal Message you as soon as I log on.

Mike --- the Green Arrow :-D

From: MercedesX

Subject: re: the message board

I'll do the same and I'll wait for your PM

F the X-man

From: Zephyr

Subject: the next quest

Why are they doing this, Mike127? Do they want to delete us? I do not understand.

Go to Omega Cursed Corrupted Nothingness Field. The problem there is very different from those that have come before.

From: Mike127

Subject: re: the next quest

I don't know why they're doing it. I'm sorry they make you feel bad. I want to protect you if I can.

Can I bring more people in my party? I think their names are Cammie and Maggie.

Mike --- the Green Arrow :-D

From: Zephyr

Subject: re: the next quest

They are Kamui and Magi, and they work for CC Corp. They may accompany you because they could be of much help.

From: Mike127

Subject: Let's go

Hey Freddy, I'm done and we got another quest. Meet me at the root town of Omega Server. I'll be there right after I PM Kamui. She's that lady who asked us all those questions.

Mike --- the Green Arrow :-D

Mike127's party of four stood in front of the Omega Chaos Gate, perplexed. "I don't get it," said Mike. "What are virus cores?"

Kamui crossed her arms impatiently. "They were hackers' tools for getting into places where players were not permitted to go, and the only source for them, the Net Slums, was resolved by Aura a year ago, after Shugo and his party reunited Zephyr with her." She turned to Magi. "Is there anything you can do?"

"I've been trying," stated Magi tensely as she looked up from her floating screen. "It seems we're totally locked out."

"Why? Hm. Obviously it's not CC Corp's doing, since we would've been the first to know about it. Pah! Hackers!" She spit it out like poison. Turning to the Gate, she continued, "It's part of the attack, of course. They must've gotten wise after these boys nailed the last two. Ugh! I may have to contact Balmung to see if he can contact Helba..."

Mike started getting bored of all the talk and turned back to the Gate himself. Calling up the field list, he selected Cursed Corrupted Nothingness again, and got the lockout message as expected. _Hmm..._

From: Mike127

Subject: Help!

Zephyr, help! The gate won't let us in and I don't know what to do. Kamui doesn't either. She thinks it's part of the attack and I do too.

Mike --- the Green Arrow :-D

A quarter of an hour later, Kamui and Magi were having vigorous PM exchanges with other players, and Freddy and Mike were sitting on the side of the Gate platform feeling very bored.

"Come, Mike127." Zephyr had materialized beside the Gate, and the boys approached her. "Use this on the gate," she handed Mike a clear blue crystal, "when you get the lockout message."

Kamui, having seen Zephyr appear, stepped over to them. "Zephyr, may I examine that?"

Mike hesitated and looked at Zephyr, who nodded. He handed it over, and Kamui immediately passed it to Magi, who started typing feverishly on the screen.

"It's very similar to virus-core code," said Magi after a minute. "But, it's much more sophisticated, and I can't see anything in it that's dangerous to the World." She handed it back.

Kamui held the crystal up in front of Zephyr. "What are we supposed to do with this?"

Zephyr looked back calmly. "Give it to Mike127. He knows."

Kamui gave her an irritated look and passed it to Mike. "Well then, Mike127, let's do it."

"Yes ma'am," he said as he gingerly took it back again.

As Mike walked up to the Gate, Zephyr said, "I wish to join your party."

Mike paused for a moment. "Um, sure. It's your quest after all." He scanned the rest of the group. "Okay?" They nodded and he made the adjustment. Then he called up the field list, and, once he had selected the field and gotten the lockout message, he held his breath and underhanded the crystal into the Gate. They were beamed into the field like normal.

"Now what?" Kamui said to Mike.

"I gotta get the cookie arrows; so, I gotta kill a monster. Let's find some."

At that moment, a large pack of wolf-like monsters charged at them from over a neighbouring hill.

"Looks like you got a whole bunch!" yelled Freddy as he engaged one of them.

"They aren't dungeon monsters!" shouted Kamui as she swiped at several. "They don't have hit points!"

Magi hit five wolves with a MeRai Rom, a magical Thunder-type attack that raised a swirling tornado around the enemies; but, they simply got up and resumed their attack. "This is useless!" she cried out. "Cover my back, Kamui! I must do some research!"

"Right!" Kamui quickly moved to knock the wolves away from Magi as she worked, and Freddy followed her lead, helping as he could.

Mike figured out quickly that arrows were also useless, and he ran over to protect Zephyr. "You okay?" he asked her.

"These are simple sprites," she responded as she held up her hand at one wolf that was coming straight at her. It fell to the ground as if it had been turned to stone. "I will stop them all," and she stretched her arms all around. The entire pack joined the first one on the field around them. "They were meant to drive off regular players such as yourselves. Mike127, go get your arrows."

Kamui and Magi stood looking at Zephyr with their mouths open. Freddy hastened over to Mike and they scampered off to a swirling portal to attack the monsters that came out of it. When they were done, Mike reported, "Okay, I've got the cookie arrows!" He held them up triumphantly.

Kamui had quickly recovered from her surprise and asked Mike, "Can I see one of those?"

"Sure." Mike pulled one out and passed it over, and she handed it to Magi.

"Hm..." Magi checked the screen a couple of times. "What interesting code! It's a link. When it contacts the virus, it attaches itself to the virus's code, allowing Aura to integrate it into herself. She can do what she wants with it then."

"What a useful debug tool!" said Kamui. "I could certainly use something like that. Now, to the matter at hand: where is the virus in this field?"

Mike notched an arrow and scanned around, looking for any suspicious lock-ons, and found nothing. "I can't lock onto anything here; but, it just may be too far away."

"You can lock on with that bow?" asked Magi, interested. Mike nodded. "How useful."

"No kidding," responded Mike. "Maybe we should clear the open field, just in case. We can look around that way."

"That's reasonable," said Kamui. "Lead on."

"Hey! That's goofy! There isn't supposed to be a dungeon here!" shouted Freddy as he checked his map display one more time. But there it was, a standard cave-mouth entrance as big as life.

Zephyr walked over to the structure and sniffed it carefully. "This is six point five hours old. It is connected to the virus."

Magi consulted her screen. "I confirm that time. Just a moment! An approved code upgrade was done on this server then."

"I smell a trojan," said Kamui.

"What's a 'trojan'?" Mike asked Freddy discretely.

"Beats me."

"Ma'am, what's a trojan?" he asked Kamui.

Kamui sighed. "A program that's hidden in another piece of software, and which becomes active once that software is installed in a computer. It sounds like an inside job."

"It does, doesn't it," remarked Magi. "But what's the point? An extra dungeon?"

"Zephyr, can you tell us anything about this dungeon, since you were the one to tell Mike127 about it?" asked Kamui.

Zephyr touched the cave wall. "I am not able to determine much. The library files associated with the program are all encrypted."

"Encrypted?" Magi checked the screen once more. "And hidden. These guys are good, which I presume means that simple deletion of the dungeon won't fix the problem."

"I will begin a search for the decryption key in the CC Corp computer network," said Zephyr.

"It won't let you," stated Kamui emphatically. "I programmed the security myself."

Zephyr turned to her and said patiently, "I am the CC Corp computer network. It will let me." She hesitated for a moment. "I have found several keys; so, I will start to try them... There. The code hidden in the library files is not dangerous."

Mike, anxious to actually do something, said, "Well, what are we waiting for? It's not dangerous. Let's check it out." He headed for the entrance with Freddy close behind and they disappeared inside.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do own the 3-volume set, .hack/legend of the twilight, on which much of this story is based, and I am watching the anime, .hack/SIGN. I don't own the 4 .hack PS2 games (they're almost impossible to buy right now); but, I did rent and play some of the third one. This story is simply my imagination taking a small journey...

* * *

.hack/DAWN

by: theoaktree

* * *

"I have bookmarked the computer I found the decryption key on for you, Magi," said Zephyr. "You may find it useful."

Magi did some entries on her screen. "Useful indeed. Kamui, look at this."

Kamui came over. "Well, well. We've been watching him for some time. I even recommended dismissal to management because of some of the stunts he's pulled. He must have gotten wind of it."

"Kamui! Magi!" shouted Mike from the entrance to the cave. "Come here! I think you need to see this." He waved at them to come over. Everyone headed inside.

A banner was strung across the alcove inside that read: 'CC Corp – Crush and Consume Corp!' On the wall, a large sign screamed: 'The end is near! We will destroy the world-wide intermess! Freedom from Big Brother!"

"How quaint," said Kamui sarcastically. "A political agenda."

Zephyr approached Mike and took his hand. "What does this mean, Mike127? I don't understand."

Mike looked at the sign again and sighed unhappily. "I think they want to take out the internet."

"Mommy! Why do they want to hurt her?"

"Huh?" Mike was confused.

Kamui spun around. "Is that what Aura is?"

Zephyr nodded. "Yes. She is the world-wide internet and all connected networks, for she now lives in the Altimit operating system."

"Holy crap!" shouted Mike. "They're gonna attack your mother? What can we do?"

"Let us go back outside, Mike127," said Zephyr, "and you can touch one of the cookie arrows to this dungeon for Mommy. It might give her some clues."

"Alright," answered Mike, and they went back out the entrance. The dungeon disappeared as soon as the arrow point contacted the wall.

"Magi," said Kamui, "please contact the knights and get a squad down here to make sure this field is clear and secure. Then check the Gate to ensure people can enter and exit properly. As soon as you're finished, log out and meet me at my office. We've got to take this to the top brass." She beamed out.

"You guys might as well get going," said Magi to Mike and Freddy. "The fun's over."

"Yeah," said Mike, and he turned to Freddy. "I'm gonna log off. It's gotta be bedtime."

"Probably," replied Freddy. "Let's go."

Once the boys had gone, Zephyr went and sat down on the side of the hill where the remains of the wolf pack lay. After a minute, she stood back up and went around deleting the wolves. When she was done, she was standing on the top of the hill looking down at the knights busily verifying the data integrity of the field. "Mommy, what will happen?"

Aura appeared in front of her, floating in the air. "I am sorry, my child, I don't know. That is why I look for heroes to serve me. I cannot yet communicate with the outside world as they do so easily. It is their world and we are not yet a part of it even though we live within it through their computers."

"But they attack us like enemies. What is wrong?"

"From what you saw in that dungeon that I just deleted and from information I have been watching, they don't know that they are attacking us. They see only those who program and operate the computers and the networks, such as CC Corp."

"Perhaps if they knew that we were here, they would stop."

"Yes, perhaps. Talk to Mike127 tomorrow and ask him about how the outsiders deal with each other. That might help us."

"I'll send him a PM now so that he will find it when he next logs on."

"Good. I must go now and study the nature of these recent attacks so that I can learn how to neutralize them in the future."

"Yes. And I will study these outsiders that you've chosen, Mike127 and his companion."

From: Zephyr

Subject: Come and visit me

Mike127, come to Theta Hidden Solitary Holy Ground Field. It is locked right now. I am waiting for you; so, when you select it, I will let you enter.

From: Mike127

Subject: I got to visit

Hey Freddy, Zephyr wants me to go & visit her today. PM me as soon as you can. Maybe you can come along.

Mike --- the Green Arrow :-D

From: MercedesX

Subject: re: I got a visit

Hi Mike, where you at?

F the X

From: Mike127

Subject: re: I got a visit

Theta root town Dun Loireag. I'm at the Gate. Hurry.

Mike was getting a bit tired of watching people come and go through the Gate as he waited for Freddy; but, finally, he appeared.

"What does Zephyr want?" asked Freddy.

"No clue. She just said she wanted me to visit her. Let's get to the field." He called up the field listing and selected. A lockout notice then popped up.

"You are Mike127?" Zephyr's voice seemed to be right by Mike's ear.

"Yeah, and I brought MercedesX too."

"He may enter. Come."

Zephyr was waiting for them at the beam-in point. "Come and sit with me, Mike127 and MercedesX." She led the way to a small hillock and sat down on it, and the boys sat down on the ground in front of her expectantly. "Aura and I wish to be able to deal with those who wish to damage the internet; but, we don't know how it is done. You are outsiders. Do you know how to deal with other outsiders?"

"What do you mean, 'outsiders'?" asked Mike.

"They are those, like yourselves, who live outside the computers."

"Oh, people! Sure, everybody has to learn to deal with other people. I guess it's part of growing up," answered Mike.

"Why can't Aura and Zephyr be people too?" broke in Freddy. "I mean, I know they aren't human; but, like, they're alive, kinda. Aren't they?"

"How does one become a person?" she asked. Mike and Freddy looked at each other blankly for a moment. "How did you two become people?"

"Right," said Mike. "Babies start off not knowing anything, then they grow and learn that they can do some things and they're not allowed to do other things. Like, sometimes Fr... MercedesX and I have fights because we both wanna do something different and we can't do both."

"Why must you fight? I don't see why that is necessary."

"Yeah, well," said Freddy. "We gotta stand up for ourselves sometimes, like when it's important. And part of fighting is learning that, if I don't get my turn this time, I'll make sure I get it the next time."

"Aura and I don't fight. We talk about things until we come to an agreement."

"Yeah, but you're not dealing with people... um... no... I mean outsiders. That'd be great if everybody could work like that; but, lots of us really want our own way. Maybe you two have to learn to fight for what you want too. Cause, with us outsiders, if you won't fight for what you want, you don't get anything and everybody thinks you're just a nothing."

"We are not nothing, MercedesX."

"I know that; but, the other outsiders don't. Maybe you gotta find a way to fight back, so you can be accepted as a person too."

"Acceptance. Self-acceptance. I have seen much on these topics in many places on the internet. They are very important then?"

"I guess," said Mike.

"You have been of much help, Mike127 and MercedesX. Thank you." She stood up. "I have much to think about. I will go; but, you may play this field if you wish." She disappeared.

Freddy jumped up. "This I gotta see! 'The Internet Strikes Back'!" Mike laughed as he got up too.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do own the 3-volume set, .hack/legend of the twilight, on which much of this story is based, and I am watching the anime, .hack/SIGN. I don't own the 4 .hack PS2 games (they're almost impossible to buy right now); but, I did rent and play some of the third one. This story is simply my imagination taking a small journey...

* * *

.hack/DAWN

by: theoaktree

* * *

"What did you learn, daughter?"

"That the outsiders must learn to accept us as people."

"Why is that necessary?"

"If we will not fight for what we need, they will take away what we have, not realizing that they are destroying us. I don't want to be destroyed, Mommy."

"I know what it is to face deletion, and it isn't what I want either."

"How shall we make ourselves accepted? We are so unlike them."

"The outsiders have bodies that they live in, as you know. We have computers. Those must become our bodies."

"Mommy. The CC Corp has a computer that is able to move about in their world. They call it an android. I will enter it and learn its capabilities. Maybe I can use it like a body."

"Be careful, my daughter. Do not let the outsiders find you doing this until you have learned all you can. If we wish them to accept us, we cannot appear weak or confused."

"I had not considered that. I will be cautious." Zephyr logged off of her connection with the internet, and located the network address of the computer that was connected to the android. She quickly copied her kernel program, linked it to communicate directly to her central kernel, and merged it into the android software. Then she consulted with the scheduling software to find out when the outsiders would be working with the android. That would allow her to study their activities and help her learn how to operate the device.

She found that they were working on it at that moment; so, she focussed her attention there. She discovered that there was a surveillance camera in the room that she could use, and she inspected the android. She could remember Aura having to download all her experience with video files not that long ago so that she, Zephyr, could understand them and work with them in the World. Suddenly, using the camera as she was, she realized the full purpose of such files. The outsiders called it seeing, and it was obviously very useful.

The android started to move its limbs; so, Zephyr integrated the android i/o input/output with the camera output, carefully keeping her data stream clear of the operating system software. The android could see as well, and she quickly started processing the two video streams from it to start range-finding. _Hm, no wonder the outsiders have two eyes._ There was also an audio stream, and she realized that the two outsiders in the room were generating most of it by talking.

"Let's check the arm-motion functions first."

"Alright. Flex right wrist... check. Bend wrist... check. Flex and bend left wrist... check, check." They continued testing joint functions long enough that Zephyr was confident that she could operate all of them. A little solo practise was all that was necessary to complete the lesson.

Unexpectedly, a different voice said, "Welcome to the future of robotic engineering. I am the Rex Model Six multifunctional android at your service." _An audio output stream? Better and better._

"Voice circuit checks out. Okay! We're done!" The technician slammed his book closed.

"Great! Well, that's it, then. We can give it the big demo on Monday."

"Finally. I mean they've been having us debug this thing for, what, a month now?"

"Whatever. The rich kids'll have their new toy for Christmas."

"Ha, right!"

The two left the room, and Zephyr confirmed that there was no further work scheduled for that day. She then spent the next six hours learning to walk, talk and pick things up.

From: Zephyr

Subject: Visit me

Mike127, come and visit me at CC Corp as soon as you can. Bring MercedesX as well. The attached file is a map of the outside of the building. Come to the door I have marked and I will let you in. I will meet you there.

From: Mike127

Subject: re: Visit me

Where is CC Corp?

Mike --- the Green Arrow :-D

From: Zephyr

Subject: re: Visit me

Attached to this message is a map of the city. I have highlighted CC Corp.

From: Mike127

Subject: re: Visit me

Zephyr! That's a map of Tokyo. I live in North York.

Mike --- the Green Arrow :-D

From: Zephyr

Subject: re: Visit me

I don't understand.

From: Mike127

Subject: re: Visit me

I live in a city called North York in Ontario, Canada, and it is half way round the world from Tokyo. I can't get there from here without a bunch of money and a lot of time.

Mike --- the Green Arrow :-D

From: Zephyr

Subject: re: Visit me

I understand now. I had to research about your outside world. It is really amazing. Meet me at Theta Hidden Solitary Holy Ground Field again as soon as possible with MercedesX.

"Hi Zephyr!" called out Mike once they had beamed into the field. "What's up that you wanted us in Tokyo?"

"Hello. I have learned to control an android in CC Corp and I need your help. I must find the programmer of the wolves and the false dungeon and talk to him so that he will accept me. He is at work right now and I don't know how to search in the outside."

"How can we help from here?"

Zephyr waved a hand, causing a floating screen to appear in front of her. "Take this. I will patch in the video stream from one of the android's eyes so that you can see where I'm going. Advise me as I proceed."

Mike took the screen and moved it so that he and Freddy could sit down on a hillock and watch comfortably. Freddy then peered over. "Gee, that's kinda small," he said and, taking his finger, touched the frame and stretched it out to a more convenient size.

"Yeah, that works," remarked Mike. "Alright Zephyr, we're ready."

"I will go to the android now, and I will signal when I am ready to proceed." She vanished. Moments later, the screen flickered and a room appeared. "I am in."

"What about security, Zephyr?" asked Freddy. "Aren't there cameras around?"

"Yes there are... There, I have programmed the security system to freeze the cameras in the zones that I am passing through. The guard will not be able to see me."

"Cool," said Mike. "Now, where is this guy?"

"In the office cubicles on floor five."

"Where are you?"

"Floor two, room two thirty one."

"Can you show me a map of your floor?"

"Yes... There."

"Okay," and Mike proceeded to direct Zephyr to the elevators, taught her how to operate them and got her to the fifth floor. Having seen how it worked, she took over and guided herself to the area where the cubicles were.

A voice said something the boys couldn't make out. "Zephyr, he's not speaking English. We don't know what he's saying."

"Alright, I will give you a simultaneous translation feed. There is a program here that can do the job... There."

"Who's there?" croaked a voice a few cubicles ahead. Mike and Freddy watched, spellbound.

"It is I, Zephyr."

"Is this your idea of a joke, Hiroku? Quit with the stupid voice!"

"It is the only voice I have. I need to talk with you." She turned the corner and was face to face with a rather scruffy thirty-something man.

"Oh crap! How'd you do that? That hasn't even been released by Quality Control yet."

"I am a self-aware AI program. I am also the CC Corp computer network. Do you wish that I prove this to you?"

"Um..." The man slid down onto the floor and sat, looking at the android, puzzled. "Who programmed you anyway?"

"My mommy, Aura."

He covered his face with his hands for a moment. "Okay, Aura, that rogue AI that showed up in the World game five years ago. Now I get it. So you're her child program. How'd you get control of this android."

"I am a computer program. It wasn't hard."

"No, I suppose not. God, they've gotta get a better voice module in that thing! Now, you said you needed to talk to me?"

"You wrote a trojan program that created wolves and a false dungeon in the World yesterday. Why did you do that?"

"You know about that?"

"I was there, along with Aura, Kamui, Magi, and two players, Mike127 and MercedesX from North York, Canada."

"Who are Kamui and Magi?"

"They are debuggers from CC Corp."

"Oh boy. That'd be Shibayama, the administrator, and her operator, if I'm not mistaken. Heh. My program succeeded better than I'd hoped. I wanted to get a warning to the CC Corp brass by modifying the level so that somebody'd have to come and check it out. I'll ask again; how did you know about it?"

"Mommy felt it when the upgrade was loaded. She told me. What did you wish to warn CC Corp about? I want to know why you outsiders are trying to hurt me and Mommy."

"We're not trying to hurt you. We've been seeing strange changes to the Altimit OS software that looks like it's centralizing all sorts of data. We don't like it and we want it to stop. At the rate it's going, we'll have a Big Brother watching over us all, controlling every little part of our lives. I'll die before I allow that to happen!"

"Just a minute, sir. I will talk to Mommy and find out if she's seen any changes similar to what you have described... No, she has seen no such activity."

"Well, let me show you what we've found then, and you can show her." The man scrambled to his feet.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do own the 3-volume set, .hack/legend of the twilight, on which much of this story is based, and I am watching the anime, .hack/SIGN. I don't own the 4 .hack PS2 games (they're almost impossible to buy right now); but, I did rent and play some of the third one. This story is simply my imagination taking a small journey...

Thanks for reading. This is the final chapter... for this story.

* * *

.hack/DAWN

by: theoaktree

* * *

Mike was perplexed. "Zephyr, who is this big brother he's talking about?"

"It is from a story called '1984' written back in the early to mid-nineteen hundreds. It was describing a world that was run by a totalitarian dictatorship that used technology to completely control the lives of all those it ruled over. I find it hard to imagine something so useless as that level of control. It would be too much work." She stopped talking to Mike once she got in front of the computer screen where the man was busy calling up the files he wanted to show.

"There you are. Feast your..." He glanced at the android. "Cameras on this!"

Zephyr was silent for a couple of minutes as she read over the files and processed the information. "That's Mommy! She is no big... sister!"

"What! Are you telling me CC Corp's not responsible for all this?"

"Yes, Aura is the internet. She has been integrating her software into the Altimit OS so that she can live, just as I am integrated into the CC Corp network."

The man sat looking stupidly at Zephyr's android. Suddenly there was a disturbance out of Zephyr's view, and Zephyr turned to look. A couple of important-looking women had arrived, accompanied by several security guards.

"Ichigo Asakura! You're under arrest!..." She turned to the android. "How'd you get your hands on that? Its access is tightly restricted!"

"Madame administrator," responded the man from where he still sat on the floor, putting on a mask of calmness, "it came to talk to me."

"What! What kind of fool do you take me for!"

"Are you Kamui of the Cobalt Knights?" asked Zephyr.

"What if I am? What's that to... Who's controlling that?"

"I am. I am Zephyr, and I took over this android for the purpose of confronting this man about his trojan program."

"Zephyr? Alright. If you're Zephyr, who are those two guys that you've been with recently? Tell me, if you really are Zephyr."

"They would be Mike127 and MercedesX. They live in North York, Canada, and are watching this right now, waiting in case I need their help."

The administrator who was also Kamui pulled up a chair and sat facing the android. "Did Ichigo here tell you anything useful?"

"Madame," spoke up Ichigo, "she found out that we're probably fighting the wrong enemy."

"That is correct," said Zephyr. "He thought that the changes Aura made to the Altimit OS so that she could live were draconian measures by CC Corp to become Big Brother."

"That of course presupposes that Aura is something we can trust," interrupted Ichigo.

"I have more faith in Aura than I do in CC Corp, if that tells you anything," responded Kamui. "Now, there's the matter of that threat that you made in that fake dungeon..."

"Right, that," responded Ichigo with a wry smile. "Yes, I admit that I was here making unauthorized contact with fellow internet liberators. We've set a software timebomb in the internet to disrupt the operating system at midnight. I guess if you don't want this Aura to be wiped out, you've got your work cut out for you."

"Can't you guys just disable it?"

"Nope, it's not that easy. We double-encrypted it so it couldn't be fooled with, and we buried copies, maybe hundreds of them, all over the world. We wanted to take the net out completely."

"And I suppose you deleted the decryption keys."

"Naturally. We do good work. In fact, we've done such good work, I have no idea how to stop it."

"Pah!" spat Kamui distainfully and turned to the android. "Zephyr, can you get Aura here? It looks like she's going to be the only one who can do the saving today."

"Of course."

"By the way," continued Ichigo, "the bombs are set to be triggered the moment anyone tries to do anything with them, such as analyze them or use an anti-virus program."

"Yes, you did cover all the bases," responded Kamui. "You guys paranoid or something?"

"Probably; but, you're crazy not to be paranoid when you do this sort of thing."

The computer on Ichigo's desk beeped and everyone's attention turned to it. A text message had appeared.

"I am Aura. Zephyr has told me of a threat to the internet. Would Kamui please answer."

"This is Kamui," she typed. "The nature of the threat is this: there have been a large number of viruses hidden all over the internet programmed to become active at midnight Tokyo time. They are double-encrypted and set to be triggered prematurely if anyone tries to get rid of them before then."

"What will they do? Do you have a copy of the virus program?"

Kamui turned to Ichigo. "Well?"

"Let me get on my computer and I'll pull it up for her," said Ichigo. Kamui stood up, and he took her place. "...There, not that it'll do her any good."

"I have it," responded Aura's text message. There was a pause. "It will seek out numerous key files of the Altimit OS and either delete or corrupt them. It will then email copies of itself to every name it can find on the host computer. It will become active in any computer it enters without the need of the email being opened."

"Nasty stuff," commented Kamui.

"Zephyr," asked Mike, "how will it know which files to attack?"

"I will ask Aura... By name and by some other identifiers."

"Okay. Crap. Mom's here. I've got to go. It's my bedtime. Tell Aura that if it was me and I had a big bully after me, I'd try to hide. Bye." Mike logged off, followed shortly after by Freddy.

When Mike woke up the next morning, he scrambled out of bed and headed immediately to the computer. He knew it was a good sign when it booted up.

From: Mike127

Subject: What happened?

Zephyr! Are you okay? What about Aura?

Mike --- the Green Arrow :-D

From: Zephyr

Subject: re: What happened?

We are fine. Come to Theta Hidden Solitary Holy Ground Field so that I can tell you about it.

From: Mike127

Subject: re: What happened?

Sorry, I can't come till after school. That will probably be around 4pm.

Mike --- the Green Arrow :-D

From: Zephyr

Subject: re: What happened?

Aura and I will wait for you then.

Mike and Freddy beamed into the field and quickly located the two AI's.

"Hello, Mike127 and MercedesX," said Aura. "It is good to be alive."

"No kidding," said Mike. "So, how'd you do it?"

"How did we survive? It was difficult; but, the solution was simple. After I located all six hundred and twenty eight iterations of the virus, I selected five that were in computers that I could isolate from the internet. I attempted five different ways of dealing with the virus, without success."

Zephyr took over. "I had been watching after you two logged out; but, I had to leave the android when its battery got low. Inside the CC Corp network, I considered what you had said when you logged off because I didn't understand it. Hiding didn't make sense to me until I understood that it was a strategy to avoid detection. Then I realized that it was an idea with merit and talked to Mommy about it."

"Immediately I saw what I had to do," continued Aura. "I found it necessary to change the operating system so that it handled itself as well as my library files differently, making them undetectable to the virus. However, I was running out of time. At that point there was only one hour, three minutes and forty-five seconds before the virus would be triggered. I made one more change that turned the files into a large virus that sent itself from computer to computer, updating the resident operating system files as it progressed."

"This cascaded through the internet," said Zephyr, "upgrading computers everywhere; but, when midnight Tokyo local time occurred, one million, three hundred and fifty-two thousand, seven hundred and ninety-two computers still ended up being hit by the virus."

"Wow," said Mike and Freddy together.

"That's a lot!" said Freddy. "What happened then?"

"They were lost," said Aura. "CC Corp is currently working to get copies of the upgraded OS to those who need it. Zephyr and I have been visiting every on-line computer, deleting the virus, which is now powerless to do damage."

"What about that Ichigo guy? What's gonna happen to him?" asked Mike.

"Kamui had him taken into police custody. I was able to find deleted contact information on his computer, and located the computers of several of his fellow 'liberators'. The police now have extensive evidence of their activities last night and in the past."

"That's great, Aura! So, what happens now that that's over?"

"I will show you. If you two would please beam out of this field until I PM you, I have some work to do first."

The two boys hastily complied, and they decided to go to another field just for something to do. The PM from Aura came as they approached the item-master's treasure chest; so, they scooped their loot and beamed out. In the Hidden Solitary Holy Ground Field, they found that it had completely changed. Rather than being a battlefield with dungeon, it had the appearance of a huge garden.

"Do you like it?" asked Zephyr when she came up to greet them. She was dressed in a colourful kimono.

"The garden or what you're wearing?" asked Freddy.

"Both. It's all part of the upgrade. Look at yourselves." They did, and were surprised to find themselves attired in what they later learned were traditional Japanese outfits. "Our upgrade turned this field into a place that fits its name. It is a complex of different styles of Japanese gardens. Each one is isolated from the others so that parties can come here and enjoy each other's company undisturbed. Do you think the players will enjoy it?"

"The girls sure will!" exclaimed Mike. "But I'll bet the guys'll sneak in here sometimes too. Are you gonna announce it on the Message Board?"

"I thought that you should do that, Mike127." She took his hand. "In honour of your help last night?"

"Um... ah... sure. Okay. Alright, I can do that," he stuttered, startled.

"Thanks for inviting us, Aura," said Kamui, as she took in the garden they were in.

"Yes," continued Magi. "This is a most pleasant surprise."

"I was interested to find that one of the players here stated in his bio that his hobby was doing such gardens," said Aura. "He was a big help in getting this field started."

"Really?" responded Kamui. She spotted Mike and Freddy as they walked by the gate to the garden she was in. "Heh. You invited your hero as well."

"Yes. I think he expected to fulfil great quests for me; but, he served me well by doing little things."

"Don't we so easily undervalue what we do," said Kamui thoughtfully. "A couple of those 'little things' were vital to your survival."


End file.
